Zoo chimp discovered to be planning attacks on visitors

So, you think that all those monkeys and chimps you see cavorting around at the local zoo are all cute and stuff huh?

Well think again because if they are anything like Santino, a chimp at Sweden’s Furuvik Zoo they could be planning their attack to take over the world – or at least the zoo. According to the staff at the zoo they have caught Santino chipping at concrete to create discs to throw at visitors. As well he even made weapons at night to throw at visitors when the zoo opens in the morning.

It is this kind of behavior that has been impressing scientists who believe that this is the first evidence that a non-human animal is capable of making plans for the future

“It implies that they have a highly developed consciousness, including life-like mental simulations of potential events,” said Mathias Osvath, a scientist who studied Santino for over a decade. “They most probably have an ‘inner world’ like we have when reviewing past episodes of our lives or thinking of days to come. I would guess that they plan much of their everyday behaviour.”

I don’t know about you but the idea of having to wear Kevlar the next time I go to the zoo isn’t exactly my idea of a fun afternoon out.

Update: After it was pointed out by a reader that the previous picture was actually one of a gorilla rather than a chimp I at first responded with some humor about him being picky. I also pointed out that that was the same picture that Planet Save had used in their post to Kambiz Kamrani reply in the comments

Just because someone else made the mistake, Steve, doesn’t mean it is okay to perpetuate it. If anything, as the title of this blog indicates, one should be inquisitive and critical — not just an echo chamber of misinformation.

To this I would have to agree and as a result have corrected my error with a proper picture of a chimp. Thanks Kambiz for keeping me honest – thanks